1959 Doubled Die Reverse DDR-003

Description

Struck as a proof issue at the Philadelphia Mint, the 1959 DDR-003 Franklin half dollar exhibits light spread on E PLURIBUS UNUM, AMERICA, and the eagle's left wing — a combination of lettering and design element doubling visible against the mirror-like proof surface. Proof coins receive multiple strikes from specially prepared dies, and their reflective fields can make even light hub doubling easier to detect than on business strikes, where luster and bag marks may obscure subtle spread. The eagle's left wing spread is a specific diagnostic, indicating the hub displacement extended into the central reverse design rather than being confined to peripheral lettering. Cataloged under UVC-131 / DMR-008 by VarietyVista, die stage progression spans Early Die State (Stage A, unconfirmed), Mid Die State (Stage B, both reverse and obverse), and Late Die State (Stage C, unconfirmed). Franklin half dollar proof varieties from the late 1950s are actively sought by specialists, as the series ended in 1963 and the proof production window was relatively short.

Die Markers

• UVC-131
• DMR-008
• Stage A:
• EDS (unconfirmed)
• Stage B:
• Reverse and Obverse are MDS
• Stage C:
• LDS (unconfirmed)

Attribution History

• Discovered by Timothy Wissert
• Expert attribution by VarietyVista

External References